Identity alteration: Difference between revisions

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'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may suddenly change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].

The concept of '''~~Identity~~''' itself can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that provides people the experience of feeling as if they are a separate system that is intrinsically differentiated from that which is around them. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.

The concept of '''identity''' itself can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that provides people the experience of feeling as if they are a separate system that is intrinsically differentiated from that which is around them. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.

However, it is worth noting that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and that it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of a person which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus speculated to be a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, the structure of language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.

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====2. Self-contained separate identity====

The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one is a consciousness located within ~~the~~ body ~~or brain~~ which is approaching and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. ~~This sensation~~ is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency which results in one feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily controlled by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.

The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to their brain or body. This is often said to feel as if one is a consciousness located within a body which is approaching and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. It is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency which results in one feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily controlled by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.

~~It is by far the most common form of identity and usually assumed by most people to be the only possible state of being~~.

A self contained separate identity is by far the most common form of identity. It is typically considered by mainstream cultural notions to be a factual or logical way to percieve the world and the only form of identity which isnt intrinsically [[delusions|delusional]]. However, this notion has recieved extensive debate and criticism within modern neuroscience and philosophy.<ref>The self is an illusion: a conceptual framework for psychotherapy (sagepub.com) | http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856216689531</ref><ref>The self illusion and psychotherapy (PsychologyToday) | https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-shrink/201703/the-self-illusion-and-psychotherapy</ref>

<ref>The Self is Not an Illusion (PsychologyToday)https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-self-illusion/201205/what-is-the-self-illusion</ref><ref>The Ego Tunnel (pdf) | http://xenopraxis.net/readings/metzinger_egotunnel.pdf</ref><ref>The Illusion of the Self An Interview with Bruce Hood | https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-illusion-of-the-self2</ref><ref>The illusion of the self (philosophynow) | https://philosophynow.org/issues/97/The_Illusion_of_the_Self</ref><ref>https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201704/the-self-is-not-illusion</ref>

====3. Identifying with specific "external" systems====

The third of these differing levels can be referred to as a state of “''identifying with specific "external" systems''.” It can be defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus.

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 '''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may suddenly change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].
-The concept of '''Identity''' itself can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that provides people the experience of feeling as if they are a separate system that is intrinsically differentiated from that which is around them. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.
+The concept of '''identity''' itself can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that provides people the experience of feeling as if they are a separate system that is intrinsically differentiated from that which is around them. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.
 However, it is worth noting that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and that it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of a person which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus speculated to be a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, the structure of language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.
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 ====2. Self-contained separate identity====
-The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one is a consciousness located within the body or brain which is approaching and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. This sensation is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency which results in one feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily controlled by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.
+The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to their brain or body. This is often said to feel as if one is a consciousness located within a body which is approaching and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. It is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency which results in one feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily controlled by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.
-It is by far the most common form of identity and usually assumed by most people to be the only possible state of being.
+A self contained separate identity is by far the most common form of identity. It is typically considered by mainstream cultural notions to be a factual or logical way to percieve the world and the only form of identity which isnt intrinsically [[delusions|delusional]]. However, this notion has recieved extensive debate and criticism within modern neuroscience and philosophy.<ref>The self is an illusion: a conceptual framework for psychotherapy (sagepub.com) | http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856216689531</ref><ref>The self illusion and psychotherapy (PsychologyToday) | https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-shrink/201703/the-self-illusion-and-psychotherapy</ref>
+<ref>The Self is Not an Illusion (PsychologyToday)https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-self-illusion/201205/what-is-the-self-illusion</ref><ref>The Ego Tunnel (pdf) | http://xenopraxis.net/readings/metzinger_egotunnel.pdf</ref><ref>The Illusion of the Self An Interview with Bruce Hood | https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-illusion-of-the-self2</ref><ref>The illusion of the self (philosophynow) | https://philosophynow.org/issues/97/The_Illusion_of_the_Self</ref><ref>https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201704/the-self-is-not-illusion</ref>
 ====3. Identifying with specific "external" systems====
 The third of these differing levels can be referred to as a state of “''identifying with specific "external" systems''.” It can be defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus.